How many here hunt with a buddy to put the tag team on a bird, where a caller sits behind a shooter to help draw the bird's attention beyond the shooter?

I have used this trick successfully several times, especially if there isn't enough good cover to conceal two hunters sitting together. I've also had it backfire where the bird came around the shooter and straight toward the source of the calls. It sure is a great plan when it works, especially when the shooter is a newer turkey hunter.

I have done this many many many times for others, but have never used it for myself. I have never shot a bird that someone else was the sole caller on, or sitting behind me. There are probably 30-40 birds I've called in to others, but I don't put any claim to them other than an assist. Now my two main hunting buddies and I have set up on many birds together and we all call. I think two calls coming from two different locations in the same area are more convincing to gobblers. In those instances the guy who gets the first clean shot takes the bird, we don't do "this is your turn the next is mine". Over time it seems to work out pretty even. That is why we kill very few doubles, but over all I think we kill more birds. Yet the tag team tactic is a deadly one, I have seen many old call shy gobblers bite the dust using it. The farthest I have ever set up from a gunner was around 125 yards. We had one old bird would run to this little strutting hump soon as you called, but if you got inside 50 yards of that hump he'd go to another area. So i sat back 125 yards and put my buddy 25 yards off the hump. From first gobble to the gun crack was less than 5 minutes. I don't think any other tactic would have killed him.

I hunt alone a lot of the time, but I like to take people new to the sport out and call for them. A lot of the time I'll set them up out in front, or off to one side or the other, depending on the situation. There's no question that It's a good tactic.

Cut-N-Run,
Eggshell has the "bestest" suggestion. When I buddyhunt we are staggered with the shooter to the front and the backdoor to the rear and opposite side of the front shooter. This means that if the front shooter is right handed, the backdoor is behind and to the right and back of the shooter because a right handed shooter can't rotate to the right very far. Just the opposite with a left handed front shooter. This is for safety. Until you really know and trust the backdoor only the front hunter shoots.
If both want to shoot then it's best to sit close together and have a defining marker (tree, stump, buzzard on a dead possum, etc.) that marks the line for who takes the bird... if tom's on this side he's mine and on that side he's yours.
Staggered, we never space more that 10 to 15 yards apart and make very sure that we can see each other. That's important for safety, too. Always know where your partner is and be able to see your partner.
Sitting apart and staggered we both call, playing off each other. As often as not we call in a dominant hen, who drags in the other hens, who drags in...well, you get the point. Hunt fun, hunt safe.
Lordy, let April 19 come soon.
Longbeard.386
"Remember, you're never too old to have a happy childhood."

I've mostly sat with whoever I was calling for so I could communicate with em and so far I've not had to stay behind em or walk off calling to try and pull the bird in.

I did have an instance years ago where I worked a bird 2 mornings in a row and both times in almost the same spot he would come in and hang up at 60-70 yards out.

The next morning I brought my dad and eased him up a few yards closer to where the bird had been hanging up and I stayed back 35-40 yards. The bird did exactly the same thing except this time he was 25 yards from my dad and got shot

I've used set ups like this a few time. Depnding on the locations sometime's I'll sit with a new hunter and call, and if the hunter can call I'll move off about 40yds and we will both call. I like to use that on open field hunting were we set out our decoys and sit on both sides of them about 40yds apart, it allows you to cover a lot more for the field and you shoot any bird that comes from your side.

i used this strategy just the other. it backfired and the bird turned jsut out of range for my brother and to me, os i tagged that bird [;)]. then we got on some other birds and becasue they was on the move we jsut cut them off and filled his tag with the biggest hen i ever seen. [:D] most favorite hunt of life id have to say, and thats mostly because it was with my brother... cant wait till next spring!

Used this tactic many times over the last 25 years and it works like a charm but it can also be a double edged sword as many others have stated. I also take into account the terrain and especially use cover so the bird would have to come a certain direction to avoid it if he makes his mind up to come and we all know how that one goes![:D] Hung up and out of sight? I will walk away 20 yds at a time and more times than not they come in like they are on a fishing pole. Makes it interesting for the shooter! LOL!

My uncle and I use this all the time. He is left handed and I am right handed. We stay within 20 yards of each other covering both sides. We both call and cut each other off. He calls soft and I'm more aggressive. If things are quiet he calls alone. Whomever gets the bird gets the bird. Much fun!!

Tag teaming can be deadly. I like to get behind the shooter on tough birds and draw um in by scratching leaves and raking my wing on treebark. The hilly terrain I hunt often lets you hide somewhat and you will be surprised how much movement you can get away with. You just need to keep safe and be on the same page as your partner.